Court hearing set in downtown Redlands slaying suit

Wrongful death, negligence alleged

A status hearing is scheduled Monday in San Bernardino Superior Court on a lawsuit against a downtown Redlands tavern and a security company in connection with a November 2011 shooting that left one man dead and two other men wounded.

Orange State Inc., owner of Charlie Jewell's, and Moonlight Security Services are named in the suit filed April 5, 2012.

Unspecified damages are being sought in connection with what is being alleged as the wrongful death of 22-year-old Kruze Levusi Kuaea. The suit also alleges negligence in connection with the fatal shooting of the Yucaipa resident and the wounding of his friends, Jeremy Lavanway and Jared Miller.

Attorney Robert Stoll of Stoll, Nussbaum and Polakov in Los Angeles, who represents Lavanway, Miller and Kuaea's estate, alleged in a telephone interview on Friday that Charlie Jewell's "had a lot of problems, and a lot of policies and procedures that invite trouble."

The 2011 shooting took place in the early hours of Nov. 19 in front of a packed Charlie Jewell's in downtown Redlands.

Police said a fight in the bar spilled onto Orange Street after the parties involved were escorted outside, where more verbal and physical exchanges occurred.

Authorities allege that Randy Ortis, now 24, opened fire on Kuaea, Lavanway and Miller before fleeing

Advertisement

The shooting was captured on police cameras, and Ortis was arrested days later in the 5500 block of Bonnie Street in the Del Rosa area of San Bernardino.

Ortis on that deadly night was "doing something to a girl and Kuaea steps in," Stoll said."The bouncers say, 'Take it outside,' push everyone outside and a fight ensues.

"Kruze punches the guy who is supposedly harassing the girl. And the next thing you know, Ortis pulls out a gun and starts shooting."

Kuaea died a half-hour later, shortly before 1:30 a.m., at Loma Linda University Medical Center.

Lavanway was shot three times, Stoll said, and his medical expenses have exceeded $500,000.

Miller, who at the time of the shooting had recently come back to Redlands from serving in the military, received serious wounds as well, Stoll said.

Charlie Jewell's, said Stoll, "shouldn't have these kinds of problems, and security shouldn't have kicked these guys out at the same time."

Thompson and Colegate LLP, the Riverside-based attorney firm representing Orange State Inc., said in court papers filed March 19 that Kuaea and friends did not use care or caution for their own safety and protection, and the protection of others, but behaved in a careless and reckless manner.

"We are unable to comment at this time," Thompson and Colegate attorney Gary T. Montgomery said when contacted Friday.

Stoll said his firm was approached by Kuaea's parents when they noticed the bar had not made significant changes to its security protocol.

"The family really wants the bar to change its policies and procedures," Stoll said. "They had two security guards on staff for hundreds of patrons. The two security guards were totally inexperienced. So what the family really wants is some kind of change so it doesn't happen to somebody else."

Ortis is expected back in court on Aug. 23, facing murder and attempted-murder charges.